It's no secret that making your first acquisition – or even your second or third – is a big step. In the age of unicorns and massive valuations, it's easy to be intimidated by the high price tag of buying other businesses, not to mention the logistics and risk that can come along with it.

But in my experience growing two seven-figure businesses, edtech company Imagine Easy Solutions and online gaming company Unwind Media, acquiring other companies hasn't been as cost-prohibitive as you might think, and it's been an incredibly powerful way to accelerate growth.